Alex McLeish has revealed to MirrorFoorball that he is still "haunted" by Birmingham's relegation after winning the League Cup.

The St Andrews outfit host Stoke in the Capital One Cup fourth round this week - rekindling fond memories of their glory day at Wembley.

McLeish guided City to a dramatic late victory over Arsenal in February 2011 to lift their first major silverware since 1963.

But Brum were subsequently relegated on the final day that season and are now toiling in the Championship.

McLeish, 54 , still rues Blues' demise and insists he would not have resigned to join bitter local rivals Aston Villa in June 2011 had they stayed up.

The Scot told MirrorFootball: "Nobody can ever take that away from you winning that cup.

"But it was a big disappointment and I was absolutely gutted when we went down.

"It was that fine line between genius and idiot.

"We were so close from the best season in Birmingham's history to then be relegated.

"That is the thing that will always haunt me. If Blues had stayed up I would probably still be there.

"Would I have left for Aston Villa? No."

McLeish, who took charge at City in November 2007, led Brum back into the Premier League in his first full season and then guided them to ninth.

But the club then refused to sign Christian Benitez - nicknamed Chucho - despite a successful loan.

They also failed to land McLeish's top targets Mousa Dembele, Bobby Zamora and Fabrizio Miccoli.

Brum ended up taking several late loans, including outspoken and unfit former Arsenal ace Alexander Hleb on loan from Barcelona.

McLeish says the seeds of Blues' post-Wembley woes after Obafemi Martins' winner were sown by the failure to recruit adequately.

He explained: "If we had concentrated on the intended targets instead of a scattergun approach of last-gasp loan deals, I've no doubt we would have been strong enough to not only win the cup but retain Premier League status.

"When loan deals are being done, anyone can see that the transfer money is not available.

"The club thought Chucho's fee was too high but he would have got better.

"I reluctantly agreed as we were going for bigger fish but we didn't get them.

"If we had kicked on after that ninth place, won the Carling Cup and then stayed up, we would have become stronger and technically better.

"I felt if given the latitude and authority we could have built like Everton or Fulham, who have been in the Premier League a long time.

"My managerial successes have always been because the preparation has been right in advance.

"That's what we did at Rangers where we won titles and it was the same with Blues for the ninth place finish.

"That was the time to kick on and establish Birmingham - it was a massive opportunity.

"But the one thing I was never able to do in my Birmingham days was bring in a free-scoring centre forward I craved with guile and quality.

"We got loans in who were quality players but I had concerns over their fitness which were justified.

"Hleb was one of the star names of the window from Barcelona but he didn't come in a state of fitness and was never fit.

"One of the problems I also had was the players were not having him.

"Even to the extent where I was looking on the pitch and thinking: 'why are they not passing to him'."

After 12 months at Villa followed by a spell at Nottingham Forest, McLeish would now relish a new challenge - ideally at a club with a vision and clear planning.

And the ex-Aberdeen defender is eager dispel any lingering negative perceptions at his brand of football.

He insisted: "At Birmingham we trained to pass every day but tactics sometimes dictate you use a longer pass as we did in the Cup final win as knew our focal point was Nikola Zigic.

"He won everything and we passed it superbly utilising his ability to retain the ball.

"Look at Villa now, Christian Benteke keeps it and they try to play from there.

"I have always based my style on my days under Sir Alex Ferguson.

"We had dynamic full-backs and wingers like Gordon Strachan who would come in and play and link and score.

"I would never say I was a negative manager - I am well organised.

"I never ever trained anyone to hoof it.

"But even Bayern Munich had a great work ethic last season with top players working their backsides off."